Seven dental myths worth putting down
Brushing harder, skipping the dentist until something hurts, and five other pieces of advice that do more harm than good.
There is no shortage of dental advice, and a good deal of it is wrong. These are the ones we hear most often at the chair, and what we say back.
Brushing harder cleans better
It does the opposite. Scrubbing wears away enamel, which does not grow back, and pushes the gums away from the teeth. Use a soft-bristled brush and small circular movements. If the bristles on your brush splay out within a month, you are pressing too hard.
If your gums bleed, leave them alone
Bleeding gums are usually a sign of plaque sitting along the gum line, and the fix is to clean that area gently and consistently rather than avoid it. The bleeding normally settles within a week or two. If it does not, come in. Persistent bleeding is worth looking at properly.
You only need a dentist when something hurts
Toothache is a late signal. Decay and gum disease both run silently for a long time before they produce pain, and by the time they do, the cheap fix has usually passed. A check-up exists to catch things while they are still small.
Sugar is the only thing that causes cavities
Bacteria in the mouth make acid out of any fermentable carbohydrate, which includes bread, rice, crisps and biscuits, not just sweets. How often you eat matters more than how much: constant snacking keeps the mouth acidic all day.
Whitening toothpaste replaces professional whitening
Whitening toothpaste is mildly abrasive and lifts surface staining. It cannot change the underlying colour of the tooth. Professional whitening uses a peroxide gel that works through the enamel, which is why the result is different and why it lasts.
Brushing well means you can skip flossing
A brush cannot reach between the teeth, and that is exactly where decay and gum disease tend to start. Floss or interdental brushes, once a day, are not optional if you want to keep the teeth you have.
Baby teeth do not matter, they fall out anyway
They hold the space for adult teeth, and they matter for chewing and for speech. An infected baby tooth can also damage the adult tooth forming underneath it. Getting a child used to the chair early is the other half of the reason to bother.
The short version
Soft brush, twice a day, clean between the teeth once a day, and come in before it hurts. Most of dentistry is that unglamorous.
